The Adilabad agency in India is currently facing a water crisis due to a lack of regular drinking water supply under Mission Bhagiratha and a drastic fall in groundwater levels. Many tribal hamlets in the agency areas of Adilabad are suffering from water scarcity. Villagers in Khadki village, for example, have only one open well, which is not covered under Mission Bhagiratha, and its water levels are receding. Even during the rainy season, the villagers have to walk 2 km to a nearby village to fetch drinking water. The existing hand pumps are also not useful as the groundwater table is falling. The villagers are urging officials to sink two new deep borewells to meet their acute drinking water needs.
Despite experiencing heavy rainfall this year, recording 1440 mm as against the normal rainfall of 1183 mm, the onset of a scorching summer has put paid to the hopes of people and water resources are drying up in Gadigudamandal. Every year, people in the mandal suffer from water scarcity during summer. The villagers of Kundishekuguda, Khadki, and Mediguda of Gadiguda mandal walk a few kilometers to fetch water every day. Repeated pleas to the officials have fallen on deaf ears.
According to official figures by the end of February, the average groundwater level of the district fell by 8 meters. In Gadiguda mandal, it reached the maximum depth of 19 meters. If the situation continues, villagers fear the worst for April and May.
Even villages covered by the Mission Bhagiratha are facing a severe water scarcity as water is yet to be released even after pipeline works are completed. Sirikonda, IndravelliGadiguda, and Bazarhathnoor villages have all reported a severe water crisis.
